The "Costs" of Informal Care: An Analysis of the Impact of Elderly Care on Caregivers' Subjective Well-being in Japan

Yoko Niimi

No 2015-17, AGI Working Paper Series from Asian Growth Research Institute

Abstract: This paper examines the impact of providing informal care to elderly parents on caregivers' subjective well-being using unique data from the "Preference Parameters Study" of Osaka University, a nationally representative survey conducted in Japan. The estimation results indicate heterogeneous effects: while informal elderly care does not have a significant impact on the happiness level of married caregivers regardless of whether they take care of their own parents or parents-in law and whether or not they reside with them, it has a negative and significant impact on the happiness level of unmarried caregivers who take care of their parents outside their home. These findings shed light on the important role that formal care services could play in reducing the burden on caregivers, particularly unmarried caregivers who presumably receive less support from family members.

Keywords: Aging; Caregiving; Elderly Care; Happiness; Informal Care; Japan; Long-term Care Insurance; Parental Care; Subjective Well-being; Aging; Caregiving; Elderly Care; Happiness; Informal Care; Japan; Long-term Care Insurance; Parental Care; Subjective Well-being (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D10 I18 I31 J14 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2015-11
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-age, nep-hap and nep-hea
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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Related works:
Journal Article: The “Costs” of informal care: an analysis of the impact of elderly care on caregivers’ subjective well-being in Japan (2016)
Working Paper: The “Costs” of Informal Care: An Analysis of the Impact of Elderly Care on Caregivers' Subjective Well-being in Japan (2015)
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